Report: Bamber Bridge 1 Wanderers XI 1

Jack Sampson's second-half goal earns Wanderers XI a share of the spoils in a pre-season friendly at Irongate

Bolton Wanderers XI battled to a draw with Bamber Bridge in their pre-season clash at Irongate on Friday night.

The team consisting of players from the Under-18s and the Development squad cancelled out Sefton Gonzales' opener through a second-half goal by Jack Sampson.

Despite Bolton's dominance in the early stages of the match, it was the home side that broke the deadlock in the 20th minute.

Clever interplay from Bamber Bridge allowed winger Alistair Waddecar space on the left flank to cross for Gonzales who stretched to beat goalkeeper Jan-Ole Sievers to the ball and nodded in at the near post.

Even sustained pressure from Wanderers late into the first half couldn't quite produce the goal to level the score.

But just after the restart, Bolton did find the net in the 48th minute.

Joe McKee rifled a 25-yard shot that ricocheted off Bamber Bridge defender Lee Green, with the ball fortunately falling in the path of Sampson who showed great composure to side-foot the ball into the bottom-right corner.

Bolton were lucky not to fall behind again with 20 minutes remaining.

A long ball played from deep was flicked on by Gonzales towards Michael Clark, and the midfielder volleyed over substitute goalkeeper John Courtney and against the crossbar.

Wanderers could have snatched the win in the dying moments of the match.

Sampson was nearly the provider instead on this occasion as he played the ball across the edge of the box for substitute Tom Youngs. The youngster drilled an unstoppable shot from 20 yards that rattled the crossbar.

Youngs' shot was the last chance of the encounter before referee Neil Swarbrick called time on a solid display from the Wanderers.